Türkiye says Egypt could join Saudi-Pakistan defence pact at later stage

New Delhi: Türkiye’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, said Egypt could join the defence arrangement formed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan at a later stage, once certain technical issues are resolved. His comments came a day after the three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.

Fidan made the remarks on Saturday, a day after Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the agreement in Mecca. As RNA Media reported earlier, the pact commits the three countries to regard an armed attack against any one of them as an attack against all. 

Fidan described Egypt as a “natural partner” for the arrangement and said he expected it to participate at the next stage. In an interview with Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency, as cited by the Associated Press, he said some technical matters would need to be settled before Egypt could join. 

The comments do not mean that Egypt has formally joined the pact. The country would still need to complete the process required for participation, with Fidan indicating that technical issues remain to be addressed.

Fidan also said the agreement was not aimed at any particular country. He said there was no specific common threat identified in the pact, presenting it as a defence arrangement between the participating states rather than one directed against a named adversary.

The Turkish foreign minister further indicated that the framework could eventually include more than its three founding members. He said the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, wanted the arrangement to expand, leaving the door open for other countries to participate.

Egypt’s possible participation would bring another major regional military power into the framework. Cairo also occupies a strategically important position because of the Suez Canal, a key route for international maritime trade between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

The possible expansion comes as the Middle East faces continuing security tensions. The conflict involving the US and Iran has affected the wider region, while disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea have raised concerns over shipping and regional stability.

For Türkiye, bringing additional countries into the arrangement would widen the geographical scope of the defence framework. However, the immediate focus remains on resolving the technical issues before Egypt can formally participate.

The proposed Egyptian participation also comes as Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan seek to deepen defence cooperation under the new agreement. The pact provides a formal framework for collective defence, while the possibility of additional members could give the arrangement a wider regional role.

For now, Egypt remains a potential participant rather than a member of the pact. Fidan’s comments, however, indicate that Cairo is being considered for the next stage of the arrangement and that the three-country framework could eventually expand beyond its original members.